1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information management apparatus for managing information files, and information management program recording mediums for storing information management programs to manage information files.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, computer and communication technologies have been advancing and also document description languages such as a HTML have been developing. In the content of these changes, it often happens, that a general user accesses to a large amount of information stored in a server to retrieve information of interest from among the large amount of information. In this way, the information of interest can be obtained via various types of networks such as a telephone line and the LAN. As a recent multimedia technology develops, information as an object of a communication is directed to a so-called hypertext. Such hypertext includes a still picture, a dynamic picture image or an animation, sound and the like, in addition to text information. Thus nowadays there is a tendency that a size of an information file is increasingly large. As a result, a transfer of the information file requires much time. Also, there is a tendency that an occupation ratio of a communication channel per user in a communication network is increased. Thus, there is a fear that a transfer rate is decreased.
In order to solve the foregoing problems, there has been proposed an approach in which the information file is divided into a plurality of small unit information files. Each of the small unit information files includes a hyper link indicating the context of the unit information file, thereby reducing a file transfer unit by one. However, according to this scheme, when a user makes up an information file, the user has to make up the information file taking account of the file division. Also, after making up the information file, there is further a need to perform the file dividing operations and making up operations of index information to connect the divided individual files to one another when they are read out. Thus, this scheme has the drawback that these operations are burden to the person who makes up the information file.
In some cases, while the size of an information file including information to be referred to is large, there is no need to transfer the information file in its entirety. On the contrary, it is sufficient to transmit a part of the information file. However, according to the prior art, even in such a case, there is no way other than to transfer the information file in its entirety.
FIG. 14 is a typical illustration of an information providing system utilizing the conventional WWW (World Wide Web).
As shown in FIG. 14, according to the information providing system utilizing the conventional WWW, a WWW server is connected via a network, such as a LAN and a public line of telecommunication, to a client computer. Information files are stored in and managed at the WWW server end. The WWW server transmits an information file desired by a user in accordance with a transmission request issued from the client computer.
FIGS. 15(a) and (b) are illustrations of the contents of an information file to be managed by the conventional WWW server and a display example of such an information file, respectively.
FIG. 15(a) shows a part of the contents of an information file xe2x80x9cA.HTMLxe2x80x9d to be managed by the WWW server. The information file xe2x80x9cA.HTMLxe2x80x9d is described in accordance with a format of HTML. The file starts with a tag represented by  less than HTML greater than  appearing on the first line and terminates with a tag represented by  less than /HTML  greater than  appearing on the last line, as shown in FIG. 1(a). On the second line of the file, a first hierarchy of header information xe2x80x9cHead 1-1xe2x80x9d, which corresponds to a big headline, is described between tags  less than H1 and  less than /H1. On the third line of the file, a second hierarchy of header information xe2x80x9chead 2-1, which corresponds to a middle headline, is described between tags  less than H2 greater than  and  less than /H2 greater than . On the fourth line and so forth of the file, a paragraph associated with those types of header information, that is, the text of the hypertext, is described between tags  less than P greater than  and  less than /P greater than .
Consider the lines subsequent to the line on which the tag  less than /P greater than  indicative of termination of the first paragraph appears. On those lines, the header information xe2x80x9cHead 1-2xe2x80x9d and the header information xe2x80x9chead 2-2xe2x80x9d, which are associated with the second paragraph, and the paragraph associated with those types of header information, are sequentially described. In the same way, pieces of the header information associated with the third and fourth paragraphs, and the paragraphs associated with those types of header information, are sequentially described.
In this manner, in the WWW server, an information file is divided and managed. The file has a logical structure in several sorts of hierarchy of pieces of unit information, which are independent of one another on a logical basis, for example, a title, a header and a paragraph. The file is divided and managed by means of appending logical tags according to the sorts of unit information, that is, markup tags based on an HTML grammar such as  less than TITLE greater than   less than /TITLE greater than ,  less than H greater than   less than /H greater than , and  less than P greater than   less than /P greater than .
FIG. 15(b) is an illustration of a display example in which the information file xe2x80x9cA.HTMLxe2x80x9d of the WWW server end is transferred to the client computer end in accordance with the request of the user. The file is displayed on a screen through the WWW browser (HTML processing software) of the client computer end. In this manner, the respective tags are deciphered so that the header information and the associated paragraph information are displayed.
The contents displayed on the screen shown in FIG. 15(b) is substantially the same as the contents of the original before an HTML formalization into the information file xe2x80x9cA.HTML,xe2x80x9d managed by the WWW server and shown in FIG. 15(a). The original is managed by the WWW server in the form of xe2x80x9cA.HTMLxe2x80x9d through the HTML formalization. The original is transferred to the client computer so as to be edited into the state of the original in accordance with the the WWW browser and then displayed.
The file xe2x80x9cA.HTMLxe2x80x9d shown in FIG. 15(a) is managed on the WWW server as follows.
FIG. 16 is an illustration showing an example of descriptions of link information indicating the location of the information file.
 less than HTML greater than  on the first line denotes that the subsequent document is an HTML document.  less than TITLE greater than  Home Page  less than /TITLE greater than  on the second line denotes that the title of this document is a xe2x80x9cHome Pagexe2x80x9d. less than A HREF=xe2x80x9chttp://www.1.or.jp/pub/information/a. htmlxe2x80x9d greater than Home1 Page less than /A greater than  denotes an anchor for defining a link destination and a link source of a so-called hyper link. In the anchor, an address of the link source and an address of the link destination are described in the format of a URL (Uniform Resource Locater). That is, according to the example shown in FIG. 16, the link source is a file represented by xe2x80x9chttp://www.1.or.jp/pub/information/a. htmlxe2x80x9d, and the link destination is Home1 Page.
As described above, describing (i.e., inserting) into an information file an address of an information file to be linked to the former information file makes it possible to implement a hyper link between the information files. Suppose that the user clicks, using a mouse or the like, a portion xe2x80x9cHome1Pagexe2x80x9d reflecting the link information shown in FIG. 16 and displayed on a display screen of the client computer. When this action is performed the information file xe2x80x9ca. htmlxe2x80x9d is transferred from the server www.1 to the client computer, and the associated information message is displayed on the screen of the client computer.
When the WWW server transfers a file designated by the user to the the client computer, even in a case where the designated file xe2x80x9ca. htmlxe2x80x9d is a very large size document, the file transmission is performed as indicated, even with such a size. In this case, substantial time for transmission is required.
In view of the foregoing, and in order to solve this problem, it happens that a file is divided into a plurality of pieces of file and managed by a server. In such a case, as will be described hereinafter, prior to dividing the file, first an index file is made up. Then individual header files and paragraph files are made up on the basis of the index file.
FIG. 17 is an illustration showing the situation of the hyper link according to the conventional index file and individual header files.
As seen from FIG. 17, the file is of a tree structure of three hierarchies comprising an index file, individual header files and paragraph files. The index file shown at the left of FIG. 17 corresponds to a table of contents of the information file in its entirety. The index file, of the individual header files and the paragraph files (text) are linked together. FIG. 17 shows, by way of example, xe2x80x9c1-1.htmlxe2x80x9d is linked to the individual header file of the title xe2x80x9cHead 1-1xe2x80x9d by an anchor tag described on the second line of the index file. Also, xe2x80x9c1-1.htmlxe2x80x9d is linked to the paragraph file of the title xe2x80x9c1-1xe2x80x9d by an anchor tag described on the third line of the individual header file of the title xe2x80x9cHead 1-1xe2x80x9d. In this manner, making up a plurality of divided paragraph files and linking those files together make it possible to reduce the size of the individual files, thereby improving a transmission response.
However, in making up file groups having a complicated structure as mentioned above, it is necessary for an information tabulator to manually perform operations such that files divided from the start are made up and then those files are combined to form a complete file. Alternatively, a complete file is made up on a batch basis and then divided into a plurality pieces of file. Further, operations are needed for making up the index file and the individual header file in addition to the file dividing task. These tasks will be a great burden to the information tabulator.
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information management apparatus capable of automatically dividing a large size of information file into a plurality of pieces of file and linking those files together, and to provide information management program recording mediums for storing information management programs to manage information files.
To attain the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, as the first information management apparatus, there is provided an information management apparatus for managing a logical structure of information file wherein a plurality of pieces of paragraph information, to each of which header information is appended, are arranged. Said information management apparatus comprises:
a file dividing means for making up a header management file including header information and a link in such a manner that the header information is extracted from the logical structure of information file and the link to the paragraph information to which the header information is appended is made up, and also making up a plurality of paragraph files each including the paragraph information.
In the first information management apparatus mentioned above, it is preferable that the information management apparatus further comprises a transmission control means responsive to a transmission request for a logical structure of information file for transmitting the header management file associated with the logical structure of information file, and for transmitting, upon receipt of a transmission request based on a link included in the header management file, a paragraph file linked to the header management file.
In the first information management apparatus mentioned above, it is acceptable that said file dividing means includes a compressing means for compressing the pieces of paragraph information, and makes up the paragraph files in which the pieces of paragraph information are stored in form of compression. Further, it is also acceptable that said file dividing means includes a link making up means for making up a link to a previous paragraph information and a link to a subsequent paragraph information with respect to each of the plurality of pieces of paragraph information, and makes up the paragraph files in which the pieces of paragraph information and the associated links are stored.
As mentioned above, according to a first information management apparatus, there is provided the file dividing means for making up a header management file including header information and a link in such a manner that the header information is extracted from the logical structure of information file and the link to the paragraph information to which the header information is appended is made up, and also making up a plurality of paragraph files each including the paragraph information. This feature makes it possible to provide header information for users at extremely shorter time as compared with a scheme in which the original information file is transmitted in its entirety, through such a way that upon receipt of a transmission request from a client computer, first, a header management file is transmitted, and then upon receipt of a transmission request based on a link included in the header management file, a paragraph file is transmitted. Further, the paragraph file is also divided to be small size. Thus, it is permitted to transmit only portions requested by a client computer. Therefore, a time for transmission of the paragraph itself is also reduced thereby implementing an information providing system excellent in efficient. Furthermore, according to the first information management apparatus, there are automatically performed works for making up the header management files and the paragraph files from the original information file. Thus, it is possible to solve the problem as to a burden or load of the information tabulator.
To attain the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, as a second information management apparatus, there is provided an information management apparatus information management apparatus for managing a logical structure of information file wherein a plurality of pieces of paragraph information, to each of which header information is appended, are arranged. The information management apparatus comprises:
a partial compression means for making up an alternate file to be substituted for a logical structure of information file by means of compressing partially paragraph information sections, except the header information, of the logical structure of information file.
In the second information management apparatus mentioned above, it is preferable that the information management apparatus further comprises a transmission control means responsive to a transmission request for a logical structure of information file for transmitting the alternate file associated with the logical structure of information file, the alternate file being made by said partial compression means, instead of the logical structure of information file requested.
As mentioned above, according to the second information management apparatus, there is provided the partial compression means for making up an alternate file to be substituted for a logical structure of information file by means of compressing partially paragraph information sections, except the header information, of the logical structure of information file. This feature makes it possible to provide information for users at extremely shorter time as compared with a scheme in which the original information file is transmitted in its entirety, through such a way that upon receipt of a transmission request an alternate file made up by the partial compression means is transmitted.
To attain the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, as the first information management program recording medium, there is provided an information management program recording medium for storing an information management program to manage a logical structure of information file wherein a plurality of pieces of paragraph information, to each of which header information is appended, are arranged. Said information management program comprises:
a file dividing means for making up a header management file including header information and a link in such a manner that the header information is extracted from the logical structure of information file and the link to the paragraph information to which the header information is appended is made up, and also making up a plurality of paragraph files each including the paragraph information.
In the first information management program recording medium, it is preferable that said information management program further comprises a transmission control means responsive to a transmission request for a logical structure of information file for transmitting the header management file associated with the logical structure of information file, and for transmitting, upon receipt of a transmission request based on a link included in the header management file, a paragraph file linked to the header management file.
To attain the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, as a second information management program recording medium, there is provided an information management program recording medium for storing an information management program to manage a logical structure of information file wherein a plurality of pieces of paragraph information, to each of which header information is appended, are arranged. This information management program comprises:
a partial compression means for making up an alternate file to be substituted for a logical structure of information file by means of compressing partially paragraph information sections, except the header information, of the logical structure of information file.
In the second information management program recording medium, it is preferable that said information management program further comprises a transmission control means responsive to a transmission request for a logical structure of information file for transmitting the alternate file associated with the logical structure of information file, the alternate file being made by said partial compression means, instead of the logical structure of information file requested.